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12-16-2018, 09:03 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19'er + 2018 Highlander
Posts: 300
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Fresh Water Tank: Full. Empty. Or Inbetween?
At orientation last week we were told, and the Escape manual says... “Only travel with the fresh water tank either full or empty.” But is it all right to travel with it somewhere inbetween?
We owned at Scamp 16’er for a decade, traveling probably 30k - 40k with it. To keep the weight down, I generally put just enough fresh water in the tank to comfortably make it to the next time I felt we would have access to water. That being the case, we might have had 3 to 5 gallons in the 10 to 12 gallon tank. We keep a partially filled 3 gal jug of water in the trailer for contingencies.
Is there any reason that approach shouldn’t work with this Escape 19’er?
The pleasant lady who gave us orientation at ETI indicated a partially full take could “surge” while hard braking causing vehicle control issues. Well, it that’s the case, what about a partially fulled gas tank in the tow vehicle? I’ve never felt a problem with that. Perhaps ETI is worried about something else, like the tank being loosened by surging water?
Thank you, in advance, for you thoughts.
__________________
... Greg
2018 Escape 19'er & 2018 Highlander
Not all who wander are lost
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12-16-2018, 09:09 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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I would think that sloshing of the water wouldn't have enough effect on vehicle handling to notice. It might stress the metal straps used to hold the tank in place however.
We have traveled with the tank full, empty, and all stages in between - for years - without issue.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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12-16-2018, 09:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4
I would think that sloshing of the water wouldn't have enough effect on vehicle handling to notice. It might stress the metal straps used to hold the tank in place however.
We have traveled with the tank full, empty, and all stages in between - for years - without issue.
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The same for us. Following that reasoning you'd have to apply the same policy to the black and grey tanks.
Ron
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12-16-2018, 09:29 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21 towed by F-150 with 2.7l eb, formerly Escape 17B 2017
Posts: 563
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Ditto for us. We would never really fill up unless we were boon-docking and wanted a completely full tank. So lots of time we went with half full tank. Also the less the weight, the lower the gas consumption.
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12-17-2018, 02:06 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Trailer: 2018 5.0 T/A "Escaper"
Posts: 209
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I traveled with it full, empty and everything in between and didn't notice any difference... Being a railroader, I can tell you a running around with a half loaded tank car is certainly annoying but even with all things being relative I still don't know why it would make a difference on an RV.
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12-17-2018, 04:41 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Just a CYA comment, I have never noticed any impact due to 1/2 or full tanks while traveling. The nice thing with the tank being behind the axles is the ability to lower tongue weight if needed. Always weight your tongue and then make an adjustment.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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12-17-2018, 06:36 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Naugatuck, Connecticut
Trailer: 2017 50 TA, 2016 F150, 2.7 Ecoboost
Posts: 1,056
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Have never had any issues towing no matter the level of fresh water. Usually travel with a full tank but not always possible. Reading some other camper forums I have read some real horror stories about tanks falling off while on the road and recommending traveling with empty tank so you don’t loose it. Really? As long as the bolts don’t come loose on my Escape the straps are more than capable of handling the weight.
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12-17-2018, 09:22 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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Like most here, I too travel with the tanks at varying levels. I often put just enough water for use during a trip if I know that we are going to have access to water at our destination. I do carry a spare jug most of the time.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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12-17-2018, 09:48 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Retired from Dallas & Full-Timing, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape as of 01/16/17
Posts: 1,312
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We have also traveled with different levels, while pulling our 21’ TT with our Ford F-150 Eco Boost with no effect on handling.
Fred M.
__________________
Fred M.
"Whoever said retirement was overrated...
...never had an Escape"
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12-17-2018, 10:33 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
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Not sure why that is in the manual. Someone picking up a trailer needs to ask ETI their reason they have included it in the manual. Probably more a curiosity question because that isn’t something that would be done in the real world with a trailer, we have always carried water in the fresh tank and will continue to do so, but it is curious.
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12-17-2018, 10:46 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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I think the reason for the warning is that the tanks lack baffles, so material is free to slosh from side to side and front to back, which would be a real issue in a large ship, but not so much in a small RV.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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12-17-2018, 11:26 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Placerville, California
Trailer: 2018 Escape 17A double dinette
Posts: 1,518
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While we are talking about water tanks....i have owned trailers for 12 years and i think only once filled the tank. I prefer to hook up, or to fill my 2.5 gal dispenser that sits on the counter. I've been wondering if i ought to put a gallon or two in my new 17, and add a tsp of bleach. I don't like imagining what might grow in there. Thoughts? I assume I'd have to replace periodically due to degradation.
__________________
--Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced older woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force. --Dorothy Sayers
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12-17-2018, 08:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19'er + 2018 Highlander
Posts: 300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by h2owmn
While we are talking about water tanks....i have owned trailers for 12 years and i think only once filled the tank. I prefer to hook up, or to fill my 2.5 gal dispenser that sits on the counter. I've been wondering if i ought to put a gallon or two in my new 17, and add a tsp of bleach. I don't like imagining what might grow in there. Thoughts? I assume I'd have to replace periodically due to degradation.
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We always “sanitized” our Scamp trailer fresh water tank at the beginning of the season with bleach. Then never had a problem with the water. Plan to do the same with this Escape.
__________________
... Greg
2018 Escape 19'er & 2018 Highlander
Not all who wander are lost
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12-18-2018, 04:56 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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I'd still sanitize a couple times a year and drain the fresh tank afterwards. Leaving a couple gallons with a little beach in the tank sounds like a good idea to me, don't think draining the tank leaves it dry.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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12-18-2018, 02:10 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: East Dover, Vermont
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA!
Posts: 678
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
I'd still sanitize a couple times a year and drain the fresh tank afterwards. Leaving a couple gallons with a little beach in the tank sounds like a good idea to me, don't think draining the tank leaves it dry.
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Make sure it is a dilute solution...what I mean is don't just pour some from the bleach bottle in....make up a gallon jug 90% water and 10% bleach AT THE MOST. Straight bleach can make the tank brittle and susceptible to cracking.
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12-18-2018, 02:33 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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I put a gallon or 2 in a bucket, add bleach, pour into the tank via a flexible funnel, fill tank.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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